Surface texture modification device for carpets

ABSTRACT

A surface texture modification device for carpets including a monolithic head having an elongated continuous convex outer surface and an elongated handle secured to head for permitting the outer surface of the head to be pushed across a carpet to modify the texture of the carpet, such as by smoothing the carpet.

I United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,890,666 McKenzie June 24, 1975 [54] SURFACE TEXTURE MODIFICATION 713 213 g kgl fi 1 2/381 X 2, 11 1 ie ter essing.... DEVICE FOR CARPETS 2,622,263 12/1952 Allen 15/402 X Inventor: Thomas J- McKenzie, 6230 3,154,352 10/1964 Riffelmacher et a1. 15/145 Camino, Tucson, Ariz. 85718 3,330,077 7/1967 Kanbar et a1. 51/205 R 3,524,210 8/1970 McLean... 15/145 [221 Flled= 3, 1973 3,828,386 8/1974 Roth 15/142 p N04 376,152 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS 67,587 9/1948 Denmark 15/236 R [52] US. Cl 15/142; 172/375 [51] Int. Cl A471 13/00 Primary Examiner-Edward L. Roberts [58] Field of Search ....15/l18; 142, 145, 220, 235.4, Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Cushman, Darby &

15/235.8,236R,245,235.3,105, 145; Cushman 401/118,130,9;172/371,372,375,381,378;

51/205 [57] ABSTRACT R; 69/20 A surface texture modification device for carpets ineluding a monolithic head having an elongated contin- [56] References C'ted uous convex outer surface and an elongated handle UNITED STATES PATENTS secured to head for permitting the outer surface of the 287,027 10/1883 lwan 172/372 head to be pushed across a carpet to modify the tex- 717,003 12/1902 Hoskins l5/235.4 X ture of the carpet, such as by smoothing the carpet. 1,202,791 10/1916 Brownstein 172/375 X 1,541,643 6/1925 Hendricks 172/372 6 Clalms, 5 Drawlng Figures 1,659,944 2/1928 Dome 172/381 SURFACE TEXTURE MODIFICATION DEVICE FOR CARPETS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a device for modifying the texture of a carpet. In its usual application, the device will be used to smooth carpets. However, under some applications it could be used to roughen carpets. Therefore, the device is described as a surface texture modification device for carpets. When a vacuum cleaner or carpet sweeper is used on a plush pile carpets, velvet pile carpets, or sometimes short shag rugs, marks will be left on the carpet. It is considered desirable to leave the plush pile and velvet pile carpets after cleaning in a velvet-smooth, unmarked condition, with out any traces of the line followed by the vacuum cleaner. The elimination of such condition requires a device to be moved with the grain of the carpet to smooth the same. At the same time, with short shags it may be desirable to rough up the shag without the necessity of using a rake.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present device is effective to modify the texture of plush pile, velvet pile and short shag rugs in a manner consistent with the desires of the user. To accom plish this object, there is provided a monolithic head having an elongated, continuous, curved surface, at least a portion of which is con-vex. A handle is attached to the head for enabling the same to be pushed across a carpet. Preferably, the head is made of wood or pressed paper which provides some frictional resistance as it is moved across the carpet.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device,

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the device shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 1 with the handle removed,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the device with a different head design; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the device with still another head design.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The surface texture modification device for carpets, shown generally at 12, is illustrated in FIGS. l3. The device 10 includes a monolithic head 14 having an elongated, continuous, substantially unyielding, curved or curled outer surface 16 which is shown as being convex.

In cross-section (FIG. 3), the embodiment of the head shown in FIGS. 13 comprises an inverted comma having an upper tail l8 and a lower ball 20. The curvature of the outer surface 16 increases from the upper end to the lower end and doubles back on itself, as at 22, at the bottom portion of the head. The inner surface 24 in this embodiment is concave. This configuration permits the device to be rested on the curled lower portion during operation and thus to be easily balanced. The absence of any straight edges, as might be the case if a plain or curved blade was used, enables the device to be effective in modifying the texture ofa carpet with uniform consistency. A blade with a straight edge is apt to leave a line on the carpet at the end of a stroke and is thus not as effective as the present invention.

On the inner surface 24 of the head there is provided a hub 26, preferably integral, having a threaded socket 28. The hub, of course, could be eliminated, and the threaded socket could be simply cut in the head 14.

An elongated handle 30 is secured to the head, such as by being threadably received in the socket 28. The handle is preferably sufficiently long so that it can be operated from a standing position.

In FIG. 4, there is shown another embodiment of the head. This head is shown as comprising a monolithic, substantially unyielding, elongated cylindrical member 32, again having a convexly curved outer surface 34. The cylindrical member has a socket 36 for receiving the handle 30.

In FIG. 5, there is shown still another embodiment of the head. The head in this embodiment comprises an elongated, tubular member 38, again having a convexly curved outer surface 40. The handle 30 could be secured to head in a variety of ways, such as being threadably secured, glued or the like.

The head shown in FIGS. 1-4 could be made of wood or plastic. Wood has a certain frictional resistance which enables the head to frictionally engage the carpet as it is moved over the carpet to modify its texture. Some plastics might be too smooth to effectively modify the texture of the carpet. Thus, it may be desirable to provide the convex surface of the head with some textured design, such as at 42 in FIG. 4, to increase its frictional resistance when plastic is used. For ease of discussion, the textured design is shown on the back side, but would obviously extend completely around the cylinder. At the same time, it could even be eliminated on the back side since this side does not come into contact with the carpet. The design shown in FIG. 5 could be made of pressed paper (i.e., cardboard) as well as plastic or wood.

In operation, the head is moved across the carpet with the grain to smooth the same, or against the grain to roughen the same. With plush pile and velvet pile carpets, the device will generally be used to smooth the grain, while it would generally be used with short shags to roughen the same. In this regard its use is similar to a rake, and the device could be described as a single tyne rake.

What is claimed is: l. A surface texture modification device for carpets comprising:

a monolithic head having an elongated, continuous curved outer surface, a portion of which is convex;

the head as viewed in cross-section comprising an inverted comma having an upper tail and a lower ball; and

elongated handle means secured to the head for permitting the outer surface of the head to be pushed across a carpet to modify the texture of the carpet.

2. The device in claim 1 wherein the curvature of the outer, convex surface of the head, viewed in crosssection, increases from the upper end to the lower end.

3. The device in claim 1 wherein the head is made of wood.

4. The device in claim 1 wherein the head is made of pressed paper.

5. The device in claim 1 wherein the head is substantially unyielding.

6. The device in claim 1 wherein the head has a threaded socket and wherein one end of the handle is threaded and received in the socket. 

1. A surface texture modification device for carpets comprising: a monolithic head having an elongated, continuous curved outer surface, a portion of which is convex; the head as viewed in cross-section comprising an inverted comma having an upper tail and a lower ball; and elongated handle means secured to the head for permitting the outer surface of the head to be pushed across a carpet to modify the texture of the carpet.
 2. The device in claim 1 wherein the curvature of the outer, convex surface of the head, viewed in crosssection, increases from the upper end to the lower end.
 3. The device in claim 1 wherein the head is made of wood.
 4. The device in claim 1 wherein the head is made of pressed paper.
 5. The device in claim 1 wherein the head is substantially unyielding.
 6. The device in claim 1 wherein the head has a threaded socket and wherein one end of the handle is threaded and received in the socket. 